Taking Things For Granted
by sunniebelle
Summary: Alek and Deryn are having fun...until disaster strikes. Will this new path providence has delivered bring them closer together, or tear them apart? Takes place just a few months after Goliath. Original character, Dr. Williams, brings in both new and old beasties.- ON HIATUS
1. Chapter 1

"Oi! Get a move on, your princeliness! We don't have all day!" Deryn shouted back at Alek, using her favorite nickname for the former Prince of Hohenburg. Alek laughed and did his best to make his legs pump faster, so he could catch up to the Scottish lass.

Bovril, the Perspicacious Loris, clung tightly to his shoulder. "Get a move on!" It said, then chuckled.

March 1915 was drawing to a close. Alek and Deryn, who have both been working for the Zoological Society for more than three months now, were happy whenever they could sneak away to get a few minutes together.

It was a cool spring evening in London and the two 16 year old teenagers were done with their work for the day. They were eager to get some time alone; not to mention, to get away from Dr. Barlow and Count Volger's watchful eyes.

The sun was setting—painting the blue sky with vibrant hues of purple, pink, and orange— as Deryn and Alek raced to the grove of trees located near the Zoological Society building in Regent's park.

Deryn was quite a ways ahead of him and was enjoying taunting him. He had recently had a growth spurt, so their height was roughly the same now, although her long legs did give her a slight advantage.

However, she started slowing a moment later; her left knee twinging and reminding her of the injury she'd sustained in Mexico, from the glider accident, only a few months ago.

Alek took advantage of this and sped forward, reaching the tree a moment later. He gave her a triumphant smile as she arrived beside him, just a few seconds too late.

"I win!" Alek said boastfully, panting hard from his run.

"Aye, _dummkopf_." Deryn said, equally winded. "But only 'cause my bloody knee decided to act up." She gave him a playful punch on the arm.

He gave her a peck on the cheek. "I'll let you win next time, _leibe_." He said teasingly.

She gave a snort. "Not likely, you barking Clanker. I'll be leaving you in the dust next time." She said smiling and punched his shoulder again, slightly harder this time.

Alek smiled as he watched her start to climb the tree, but still had to rub his bicep. Deryn knew how to punch.

Bovril looked at him and chuckled, saying, " _Dummkopf_!" Alek shook his head and then started climbing as well.

If someone had told him six months ago that he would be climbing trees with his Darwinist girlfriend, acting like a normal teenage commoner instead of ruling over Austria-Hungary as a proper emperor—and having loads of fun doing so—he would have thought them insane.

Since meeting Deryn he had done things he never dreamed possible. She had opened his eyes to a whole new world and he enjoyed every minute of it. Especially since he was with her.

Each of them ascended the old tree carefully, trying to avoid dead branches or limbs that looked questionable. As they climbed, they bantered playfully, laughing and joking their way up the tree.

When they were quite a ways from the ground, Deryn was looking down at him and making some humorous remark as she reached for a limb, not really paying attention to what she was holding. Everything after that seemed to happen in slow motion for Alek.

He heard a loud crack, the sickening sound of wood splintering. The dead limb Deryn had grabbed broke off in her hand!

Suddenly, Deryn was falling! Gravity was forcing her to make a hasty and unwilling plummet back to the ground several meters below.

" _ **Deryn**_!" Alek shrieked. His hand shot out as he tried desperately, but in vain, to catch her.

He saw Deryn's panicked face and heard her terrified scream as she dropped like a rock. She wildly grabbed at passing branches as she descended, but never could grasp one.

He could do nothing but watch, in utter horror, as she fell for what seemed like an eternity.

Her body rammed hard into several thick tree limbs, yet they did nothing to slow her fall. They just made sickening, cracking sounds as she slammed into them again and again.

He heard the gut-wrenching _thud_ , as she collided with the earth. A puff of dirt rose and then settled around her.

Then, she lay still. Too still.

Bovril mewled on his shoulder.

Shocked by what he had just witnessed, Alek raced down the tree, climbing as quickly as possible. His heart pounded in his ears.

He jumped the last few feet and ran to where she lay crumpled on the ground. He stood over her body, trembling with fear.

Kneeling beside her, his quivering hands fluttered above her face and torso, wondering what to do. He forced his hand to stop shaking and placed it on the left side of her neck, feeling around for a pulse.

He gave a shaky sigh of relief when he finally felt the steady rhythm of her heartbeat. She was alive!

He quickly took stock of her injuries.

He could see numerous scrapes and gashes on various parts of her body. Her right arm was lying at an abnormal angle, most definitely broken from the looks of it.

Her left leg, however, was twisted under her in a sickening way.

"Deryn." He said and then realized, he was whispering. "Deryn." He said again, louder this time.

"Deryn!" Bovril called out, and then keened softly when there was no answer.

"Deryn, can you hear me?!" He was starting to feel panic rising in him. He pushed it down, trying to think clearly.

He knew there was no way he could carry her. He had to get help. Now!

"Deryn, if you can hear me, I'm going to get help!" He jumped to his feet and raced back to the Zoological building as fast as he could make his legs go.

* * *

 **Note: I hope y'all enjoyed this first part of the story! All credit goes to the amazing Scott Westerfeld!**


	2. Chapter 2

Alek raced through the wide corridors of the Zoological Society's main building. He didn't bother to apologize as he pumped into people and shoved some aside. He didn't hear the exclamations of surprise, or comments of "How rude!" and the like.

He was intent on finding Dr. Barlow.

Alek rounded a corner at full speed and crashed into Count Volger, nearly knocking the man and Bovril to the ground.

Alek was so focused on his goal and in such a panic, that it didn't register with him who it was that held his upper arms. He struggled for a moment against the strong hands holding him in place.

"Lass mich gehen. Lass mich _gehen_! _Sie braucht hilfe_!" He yelled in his native language, begging to be let go.

"Whoa, boy." Volger said sternly, speaking in German as well. He gave Alek a forceful shake and the frightened boy looked at him. "Alek! What's happened? Who needs help?" Count Volger demanded.

Alek could only picture Deryn lying unconscious on the ground, broken and bleeding. Maybe even dying!

In a full panic now and wanting only to get to Doctor Barlow, Alek shoved Count Volger aside and ran. He ignored the Count's shouts for him to stop, as the man raced after him.

Finally Alek reached his goal, Count Volger close behind.

Alek hurriedly flung open Dr. Barlow's closed office door, causing the woman to look up from her paperwork in startled surprise.

Alek tried to talk and catch his breath at the same time, still speaking—or rather shouting—in German. " _Dr. Barlow_! _Bitte_... _helfen sie_! _Es ist_... _Deryn_! _Bitte komm_! _Sie_... _ist verletzt_!"

Dr. Barlow stood and walked quickly to the frantic young man upon hearing these shouted statements, trying to piece together what was going on. She knew something very bad must have happened, to have put Alek in such an anxious state.

She spoke in German as well, trying to calm him down in order to better understand him. "Easy now, Alek. Easy. Take a deep breath and slow down."

When she saw the young man try to calm himself she asked, "What is going on? What has happened to Deryn?"

Bovril suddenly started imitating the sounds of wood splintering and cracking, then of Deryn's screams. Dr. Barlow and Count Volger exchanged astonished and worried looks.

Tears started running down Alek's face.

He tried to calm down as he relayed what happened, but this time in English. "Deryn and I were climbing a tree and a branch broke. She fell from near the top and I...I couldn't catch her. She's badly hurt and won't wake up! Please, I don't know what to do!" His voice broke on this last statement. He forced back the sob that was building and struggled to remain calm.

"Good heavens." Dr. Barlow said with astonishment, the news quickly sinking in.

The Lady Boffin's expression suddenly turned very serious. "Where exactly is she? What side of the building?"

Alek quickly described the exact area that the accident had happened.

Dr. Barlow moved swiftly to a metal tube that jutted out from the office wall. She pressed a nearby button three time in quick succession—the Society's signal for a medical emergency—to ring for a message lizard.

With an urgent but calm demeanor, the Lady Boffin dictated a brief message to the lizard that poked its head out of the tube, then it promptly scampered away. She quickly pressed the button three more times and another lizard appeared a few seconds later.

Alek managed to register words like stretcher and blanket in her message. However, he was having trouble concentrating on what was going on around him, since his mind was busy replaying the accident.

He saw Deryn fall, hitting the branches on her way down. He heard her scream as she plummeted to the ground. He watched her smack the earth with a dull _thud_.

Over and over he relived it.

Alek desperately wanted to turn back the hands of time and stop her from climbing that blasted tree. God's Wounds! _Why_ , in heaven's name, had he actually _encouraged_ something so dangerous!?

"Dr. Williams and the necessary medical supplies will be along shortly." The Lady Boffin began, walking swiftly toward Alek and Volger. "He, being a proper medical doctor, will be better qualified to handle this situation, seeing as I am merely a biologist."

"Alek, please take us to her." Dr. Barlow said.

They both looked at Alek when he stayed silent, not moving an inch. He had a glazed look to his eyes, a horrified expression still on his face.

"Alek?" Count Volger asked, but received no answer.

Dr. Barlow suddenly realized why he wasn't responding. Alek was in shock.

She snapped her fingers in front of the boy's face, making both him and Bovril jump a bit.

Alek's eyes found hers. Beneath Dr. Barlow's serious expression, he saw her attempting to hide her own worry. After all, Deryn was like a daughter to her.

She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Alek, I know you are experiencing a bit of shock right now. But please, do try to keep it together for a little while longer." She said gently.

"Deryn needs you right now." Volger's statement seemed to shake Alek out of his numbed state.

"Follow me." Alek said briskly and turned on his heel, Bovril clinging tightly to his shoulder.

Volger and Dr. Barlow followed closely as Alek moved quickly through the halls, leading them to Deryn.

* * *

They were soon approaching the area where Deryn had fallen. To Alek it felt like hours had passed, but in reality it had only been a few minutes since the accident occurred.

Bovril started keening when it saw Deryn and Alek reached up to comfort the loris with his free hand. The three of them were carrying oil lamps to see by, having collected them on the way out of the building.

Dusk had fallen and the sun was well below the skyline, turning the sky a blackish-blue. Clouds were moving over the moon and very few stars were shining, making it fairly dark.

When the three of them reached Deryn, Alek was once again shocked by how badly she was hurt.

Lying on her back, Deryn's arms were splayed out beside her, the right one most definitely broken. Her white shirt and khaki pants were torn and stained with vivid red in multiple places. Her right leg was straight, but her left leg was twisted under her in an unnatural, sickening way.

Now he was rather glad she was still unconscious. It might keep her from feeling the pain she would most certainly be in, if she were awake.

He heard the exclamations of shock from both Dr. Barlow and Count Volger, when they saw her lying on the ground.

"It is good that you did not attempt to move her yourself, Alek." Dr. Barlow stated softly, laying a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "It is conceivable that she could have hidden internal injuries, which might be worsened if she is moved in the wrong way."

This did nothing to comfort the young man, but merely reiterated the severity of the situation. He pictured her bleeding internally or even having spinal cord injuries.

 _God's Wounds! If her spine is damaged_...he couldn't finish the horrifying thought.

A moment later a tall, middle-aged man in a dark-blue pant suit came running up to them. Presumably, this was the medical doctor, Dr. Williams, mentioned earlier by the Lady Boffin. Two assistants followed closely behind him lugging a stretcher, a medical satchel and various other items.

"Ah, Dr. Williams. Here you are." Dr. Barlow said. "I do hope you can help my young assistant, Miss Sharp. Aleksandar says that she fell out of this tree here. From fairly high up, as I understand it."

Alek was shocked for a moment that Dr. Barlow was revealing Deryn's secret identity as "Dylan Sharp". Of course, the situation was too urgent to try and explain Deryn's reasons for dressing in men's trousers or her status as an undercover agent for the Zoological Society.

The man looked taken aback for a moment by this revelation, but recovered quickly.

"I see." He said gravely, looking from Deryn's crumpled form on the ground to the tree. "About how high up was Miss Sharp, when she fell?" The doctor directed the question to Alek and they all turned to him.

Alek looked at the tree, quickly finding the spot where she had started falling. "Perhaps...12 meters." He said, roughly calculating the distance in his head. He continued in a broken voice. "S-She...she hit multiple branches on the way down. And s-she didn't respond when I called to her."

"Hmm, I see." Dr. Williams said again, kneeling next to Deryn. "Well, the first thing we must do is determine how badly she is injured." He felt along her rib cage. "She has multiple broken ribs. That's not necessarily a good sign." The doctor said softly, more to himself.

Alek swallowed audibly and forced himself to stay calm.

"We must stabilize her spine, make sure it does not shift. If her spine is fractured, allowing it to move could paralyze her." The doctor rummaged in his black medical satchel for a few seconds. He then placed a green, slug-like creature on the lower part of Deryn's ribs, near the ground.

"What is that thing?" Alek asked.

Dr. Barlow took the liberty of answering. "It is a Spinesque Slug. A fabricated creature designed to handle just this sort of situation. It can expand far beyond its own size, conform to a person's body and then harden itself."

"This way Miss Sharp is kept immobile, thereby preventing further injury." Dr. Williams added.

As the seconds passed, they all watched as the green creature seemed to melt. It quickly slid beneath Deryn's back and seemed to adhere itself to her body.

Volger looked horrified and ready to spew.

Alek watched in fascination as it slunk its way across the underside of Deryn's neck and head, across the width and length of her back. It finally stopped just above the back of her thighs. It reminded him of a snake slithering on the ground, making him shiver. But, if it helped Deryn, then Alek was fine with it.

After another few seconds, the entire underside of Deryn's upper body was covered by the creature as though it was a second skin. It quickly turned a dark, gold-like colour.

"When the skin of the creature turns that colour, it is as hard as fabricated wood. It is safe to move her now." Dr. Barlow said assuredly.

The two assistants aided Dr. Williams in quickly splinting each of Deryn's arms and legs; Alek was unsure if all her limbs were broken, or if they were simply taking precautions.

With great care, they lifted Deryn onto the stretcher and covered her with a blanket. The two young assistants carried her inside to Dr. William's medical facility—a moderately-large building a short ways from the Zoological Society building.

Alek walked beside Deryn, gently holding her left hand, needing to touch her. Volger and Dr. Barlow followed closely behind them.

Alek reached up to stroke Bovril's head, reassuring the beastie. It hadn't stopped shaking and whimpering.

"She will be okay, Bovril." He said.

Then quietly, more to himself than anyone else, Alek said, "She _has_ to be okay."

* * *

 **Note: I hope this story was enjoyable!**

 **All credit goes to the amazing Scott Westerfeld!**

 **BTW: The "spinesque slug" is supposed to act like today's versions of a neck brace and backboard. But why not have some fun and make it a fabricated slug that can expand and harden like wood.**


	3. Chapter 3

Alek paced the small sitting room of Dr. Williams' medical office. Bovril was still wrapped around his neck and strangely quiet. Staring at the light-blue walls and plain beige carpets did little to distract his mind, therefore he had taken to pacing.

Deryn was still being worked on by the doctor. It had been quite a while since they had taken her away. Alek really wasn't sure how long it had been, but it felt like days.

Volger sat in a chair with a newspaper open in front of his face, occasionally peering over the top of it to watch the young man pace.

"Alek, please take a seat and try to calm down." Count Volger said gently. The man had been strangely gracious to Alek, since Deryn's accident. He had not said a single negative, sarcastic or rude comment for hours, which was very uncharacteristic of him.

Alek had been pacing for nearly an hour, attempting to keep his thoughts clear; and more specifically, from mentally replaying the previous day's events. He was feeling quite beside himself with worry as he and Volger waited for news.

"I can't, Volger. Every time I do, I see her fall. I keep seeing her...hit the ground." Alek stopped pacing, his throat tight and a burning sensation behind his eyes.

He had been fighting back his emotions for hours, years of princely training coming to the fore. He shut his eyes tightly closed and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to gain control again.

Alek jumped slightly when Volger was suddenly beside him, putting a hesitant hand on his shoulder in an attempt to comfort him.

Alek looked up at his long-time mentor with young eyes that told of his exhaustion, fear and guilt.

"I couldn't do a thing to stop it, Volger! I could only watch her fall!" His voice broke on the last word. He looked away from Count Volger's concerned eyes and stared at the wall, not really seeing it. He thought of something that Deryn had told him several months ago on the _Leviathan_.

"She once told me that we...that she and I...save each other. And I...I couldn't save her, Volger!" He admitted, hanging his head and barely suppressing a sob.

Alek suddenly felt Volger's strong arms surround him, a bit hesitantly at first. The Count hugged the boy awkwardly, as though he had never given someone a hug before.

Without warning, the dam holding back his hours of pent up emotions burst and Alek couldn't fight them anymore. For a long moment he couldn't breathe, just clung to the man as harsh sobs racked his teenage frame.

It was a strange new sensation, having Volger comfort him. Alek felt better after letting everything go, so he attempted to collect himself again.

Volger stepped back, clearing his throat self-consciously, then pulled out a pocket handkerchief and handed it to him.

"Alek," the Count began, speaking softly but firmly, "If I know anything about Miss Sharp, it is that she would not want you blaming yourself for this. From what you described, there was nothing you could have done anyway."

The man stopped, his face turning thoughtful.

"More to the point, Alek, if you had caught her, you likely would have been pulled down with her and both of you would have been seriously hurt. If that had happened, you would not have been able get help for her."

After Volger said this, he paused, letting the words sink into Alek's mind. He had not thought of it that way.

"I am sure that Miss Sharp will be alright. I know this because she's too stubborn and hard-headed _not_ to be." Now Volger was starting to sound more like himself. This sarcastic statement about the Scottish lass brought a small, watery smile to Alek's face.

He nodded, still wiping the tears from his eyes and looked at Volger gratefully. "Thank you, Count." The man nodded once and then turned to sit back down, snapping the newspaper up in front of his face again.

Half an hour later, Bovril suddenly stood up on Alek's shoulder, looking attentively at someone coming their way. "Dr. Williams." The Loris said.

Alek shot out of his chair and watched the Lady Boffin and Dr. Williams approach, serious looks on their faces.

"Please join me in my office. All of you." The male doctor said and Alek's heart sped up. He couldn't determine if this was indicative of good or bad news.

All four of them walked into a nearby office that was sparsely decorated with dark wood furniture. What stood out the most to Alek, however, were the tall bookshelves lining every wall and the numerous medical journals filling the shelves. The room seemed a bit gloomy since there were no windows and the only light in the room came from a couple of oil lamps.

Alek sat rigid in the offered chair, anxious to know how Deryn was doing.

"Miss Sharp sustained numerous injuries, some worse than others, but nothing fatal. She is stable now and we have her heavily sedated to ward off pain and to keep her still, which is important right now." Dr. Williams stated matter-of-factly.

"Thank Heavens." Alek said, feeling slightly relieved.

Dr. Williams continued. "Her right arm has been set and splinted, and I believe it will mend well."

He pause briefly before adding, "Unfortunately, her left leg is quite another matter. From the injuries, I suspect that it was the first to impact the ground and suffered the most damage."

Alek realized he had been holding his breath, so he exhaled and tried to focus on what the doctor was saying.

"Dr. Barlow was kind enough to assist me, since my other colleagues had gone for the day. It was a tricky procedure, but we did manage to repair the leg. Or rather, we repaired it as best we could, given the severity of the damage. I also applied a barnacle compress to help heal the damaged ligaments, and to aid in the over-all healing process. Dr. Barlow mentioned that Miss Sharp was familiar with this particular fabricated creature, having used it on another occasion."

Alek nodded, thinking of the glider accident in Mexico that had resulted in her leaving the British Air Service.

But this injury sounded much more severe. Questions raced through his mind, wondering if she would ever have full use of the leg again.

The doctor continued, so Alek tried to pay attention. "She also sustained five broken ribs and a cracked collar bone. Miraculously, there seems to be no signs of spinal injuries, nor any serious internal injuries in her chest and abdomen regions." Alek sat back in the chair with a sigh of relief.

When Dr. Williams started speaking again, however, Alek's world came crashing down once more.

"The only thing that I am uncertain of now, is the possibility of some slight brain damage."

Alek froze and abruptly the room started to spin.

He desperately hoped that he had misheard the doctor. He knew that he hadn't when Bovril shivered around his neck, whispering, "Brain damage."

In his peripheral vision he could see Count Volger look at him.

"Brai-...brain damage? What do you mean?" Alek asked in a shaky voice, leaning forward in his chair.

"Of course, I will not know for sure until she wakes, but there may be something wrong with her vision. I assume this because her pupils did not respond correctly, when I shone a light in her eyes." The doctor paused to clear his throat before continuing.

"Now, from your description of the way she fell, it is reasonable to assume that she hit her head in such a way, that her eyesight has been affected. Whether this is temporary—or is even the case—still remains unknown." After saying this, the doctor fell silent, letting the young man process everything.

"God's Wounds." Alek whispered as he brought a shaky hand up to his face. He wasn't sure that he could handle any more shocking news.

"As I said, we will know more once Miss Sharp wakes and I have a chance to examine her more fully." Dr. Williams said gently, sensing the boy's shock from the distressing news he had just received.

Alek slowly nodded his head, attempting to take in all of this new information.

"Can I... can I see her?" He asked hesitantly.

Dr. Williams smiled slightly and nodded. He rose and escorted Alek to Deryn's room, Count Volger and Dr. Barlow choosing to wait in the office.

When Alek reached her room, he hesitated at the door. The windowless room was fairly small and sparsely furnished, having only the bed that Deryn occupied, a small bedside table and a single chair. Two oil lamps hung on opposite ends of the white-washed room and another oil lamp sat on the bedside table, making the room fairly well lit.

Alek stared at Deryn lying on the bed, astonished by her appearance.

Various parts of her body were wrapped or bandaged, but the areas that weren't sported numerous scratches and bruises. Her right arm was splinted and lying across her chest, held there by a sling tied across her shoulder.

He could see the large splint, engulfing her left leg from mid-thigh to ankle, holding the leg strait. Beneath the splint was the barnacle compress, already adhering itself to her leg to repair the damage inside.

"Don't be afraid to talk to her." Dr. Williams said softly, looking compassionately at him. "She will probably be out for a while, because of the medication she was given, but she can still hear you. In all actuality, it may help her if she can hear your voice."

All Alek could manage was a nod as he stood in the doorway, still staring at Deryn. The doctor patted the boy's shoulder gently before he walked away, leaving Alek alone with her.

He slowly walked closer, almost in a trance, not bothering to close the door. Finally, he stood by the bed looking down at her.

Deryn was battered and bruised and yet, to Alek, she was still so beautiful. She was still his brave, half-mad Scottish Air Girl. He felt emotion trying to creep up on him again as his mind recalled the accident, but he pushed it down fiercely.

Bovril keened softly and reached out for Deryn, but Alek held onto it, preventing the beastie from trying to jump on her.

"Deryn." Alek said, a bit hesitantly, unsure of what to say. "It's me. Alek."

"And Bovril." He said as the beastie reached out for her again. Bovril looked back at him, the loris' large eyes pleading with him, so he set it on the bed. It immediately curled up next to Deryn's side, purring softly, finally relaxing now that it was with her again.

A moment later he sat down in the chair next to the bed, feeling dazed and unsure of what to say. He reached out and gingerly took her left hand, lightly running his thumb over her knuckles. "Please get well, _liebe_. Please be alright. I...I need you."

Alek thought he felt her fingers move and immediately looked down. Her fingers twitched again, as though she was trying to squeeze his hand, but then she was still. He watched her face and her hand for a minute, but nothing happened.

He tightened his grip on her hand slightly. He decided to simply start talking to her, like he normally would. Maybe hearing his voice would wake her up.

"Bovril and I have been quite beside ourselves with worry. But the doctor says that you will be fine." He said, desperately wanting it to be so, but still feeling like he was lying to her.

He paused, thinking of what else to say.

"Count Volger has been strangely...nice, since your accident. I'm not really sure how to act." He said, giving a half-hearted chuckle.

There was still no reaction. No twitch of her fingers, no sign that she was waking up. He bent down and kissed her hand.

He sat there for a while, just studying her peaceful, sleeping face. He felt sick from seeing the bruises, cuts and bandages on her body and knowing how they had gotten there.

Without warning, he was reliving the accident; it was as though he was there, seeing it all happen again. Seeing her fall and desperately grab at the air and passing branches. Seeing her smack the thick tree limbs on the way down. Seeing her impact the ground with a _thud_.

"I'm so sorry, Deryn." He said. He felt the need to say the words out loud, for her to hear him say it.

"This is my fault. I shouldn't have encouraged you to climb that tree. God's Wounds! I should have _caught_ _you_!" A sob broke in his throat as he said the words to her. With no one around to see them, he allowed the tears to fall freely as he stared at her contused face.

A few minutes later, his tears finally spent, he dried his face with a pocket handkerchief. His eyes were puffy, red and very tired. He wished Deryn would wake and call him a barking ninny. A daft prince. A _dummkopf_. Anything!

He stood and leaned over her, wanting to be nearer to her.

 _"Ich liebe dich, mein liebling._ " He whispered, his face mere inches from hers. He kissed her forehead, then very gently rested his forehead against hers. He lingered there a long moment, his nose brushing her cheek as he breathed in her scent.

He felt peaceful for the first time in hours, being so near her, feeling her warm skin against his.

Unbeknownst to Alek, Count Volger stood leaning against the doorway to the small room, having watched the exchange for some time. He felt a strange mix of emotions swirl within him.

He knew that Aleksandar loved Deryn; quite possibly even more than Volger realized.

Count Volger had been very upset with them both after learning that Alek had thrown away his chance to become Emperor; and with it, years of careful, meticulous planning on Volger's part. All to be with a commoner. And not just any commoner, but a girl that dressed as a man, snuck into the Air Service, swore, spit, swaggered and threw knives better than most men.

It was most distasteful and scandalous to Volger.

Nonetheless, he had been deeply disturbed upon seeing Miss Sharp as she lay crumpled on the ground in such a broken state, and then hearing of the girl's severe injuries. Most especially though, was seeing how it had affected his young charge.

It had all worked together to soften his feelings toward the girl and help him accept, once and for all, that she was part of the young ex-Archduke's life.

Even now, the Count didn't want to interrupt this time Alek was having with her. However, Volger was unsure how long it had been since Alek had eaten, and he knew it was getting close to 24 hours since he had slept. His worry for the boy's well-being caused him to act.

He walked over to where Alek was seated and put a hand on his shoulder, speaking softly, "Alek, we should go get you something to eat and freshen up. Your clothes still have dirt and Miss Sharp's blood on them."

Alek looked down at himself, then at Deryn. "I don't want to leave her, Volger. I don't want her to be alone if she wakes. Please, if you would do me this favor and go get me anything you think I will need."

The man started to argue, but Alek stopped him with a raised hand. Feeling suddenly emboldened and adamant, he stood and faced Count Volger.

"I am _not_ leaving Deryn." He said slowly, finality in his voice.

The Count studied Alek's unwavering eyes for a long moment. Finally, he nodded once and gave a shallow bow. "I shall return shortly."

An hour later Count Volger returned to find Alek asleep in the chair beside the bed. The young man's head was pillowed on the mattress and his hand was resting on Deryn's.

He touched Alek's shoulder and he woke with a start, looking around confusedly.

"Here is several days' worth of clean clothes and some personal items. I will return in a few minutes with some food, which you _will_ eat." Volger said. He was not about to watch the boy pass out from not eating.

Alek nodded. Volger left the room to do as he said he would, pulling the door closed behind him.

Alek stood and rummaged through the bag, mindlessly pulling out various items.

He stripped off the dirty, blood stained articles of clothing and put them into a cloth bag he had found among the items Volger had packed. He was not surprised by how thorough the man had been in packing essentials for Alek.

He was, however, suddenly glad that Deryn was still sleeping, so he could change without having to leave the room. He stepped into the fresh pair of brown trousers, fed a belt through the loops and buckled it closed. Finally, he held up a dark green tunic and simply stared at it.

It was one that Deryn had said was her favorite to see him wear, because it matched his eye color. He suddenly wondered if she would ever "see" him wearing it again, or his eye color for that matter.

He shook the depressing thoughts from his head and slipped on the shirt.

As he buttoned it, he studied her face again. He yearned for her to move, to open her eyes, to call him a daft prince.

 _Anything_ that would let him know she was okay.

* * *

For several hours Alek alternated between various activities. He talked to Deryn for a while and then began singing Austrian songs to her, ones he had learned from childhood.

Then he paced about the room.

At one point, when Volger came to check on him, he requested some books to read. He read and skimmed through these for a while, trying not to drift off to sleep.

He felt desperate for a way to pass the time, but also to keep his mind from returning to the accident.

He was mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausted. His eyes felt like they had sand in them and he felt like he hadn't slept in a week. But he didn't want to sleep, for fear that Deryn would wake without him knowing.

He had no idea how long he had actually been awake. With the room's lack of windows, he wasn't even sure whether it was night or day. He didn't think to look for a clock, or reach for his pocket watch either.

His exhaustion finally won out though. He had just dozed off, when he heard the sound of rustling sheets.

His head snapped up and he stared at Deryn. Nothing happened, so he rolled his stiff neck around and stretched his aching muscles, thinking he had dreamt it.

Then he saw her move again and she slowly blinked her eyes open. She was finally waking up!

His smile was huge as he jumped from the chair and rushed to her side.

Bovril perked up from his sleeping position, curled up beside her, saying, " _Mister_ Sharp!" The Loris' adorable face looked like it was smiling, happy that she was awake.

"Deryn! God's Wounds! You had me so worried!" He exclaimed, gently grasping her left hand.

"Alek? Is that you?" Deryn asked, sounding groggy and disoriented. She blinked her eyes several times and shifted her head toward his voice.

"Yes, _leibe_. It's me." Alek said, rubbing the back of her hand lightly with his thumb. He felt so relieved that she was awake and talking to him.

But his relief swiftly died with her next words.

"Where are you? I don't see you." She said, a bit worriedly. Her eyes blinked several times, like she was trying to clear her vision.

Alek's face fell and his heart pounded in his chest. His mind replayed the doctor's warning from hours earlier, about the possibility of Deryn's eyesight being affected in the fall.

"Deryn, I'm right here." He said, moving closer to her.

Thinking he needed to be more specific, he added, "I'm on your left side, by your shoulder." One of his hands squeezed hers a little tighter and the other he placed on her shoulder.

Bovril looked from Deryn to Alek and back again, as though the beastie didn't understand why she couldn't see Alek standing right beside her.

"I can't see you, Alek! Where are you?" Deryn said, sounding like she was starting to panic. She was breathing a bit heavily now and seemed to wince with every inhaled breath.

"I'm right here, Deryn! I'm here, _liebe_!" Alek assured her, trying not to panic himself. Alek was leaning over her now, practically close enough for them to kiss.

"Barking Spiders! What's going on!? Why's it so bloody dark!?" She demanded.

He then placed his cheek against hers, speaking softly into her ear. He was careful not to put any of his weight on her broken ribs, while he tried to comfort and calm her with his presence.

Deryn was beyond being comforted, though.

"Alek, help me! I can't see! I can't bloody see!" It was as though she was so distraught that she couldn't hear him speaking, or feel him touching her.

Bovril quickly crawled onto Alek and curled around his neck, trembling with fear and confusion.

Alek backed away when her splinted arm accidentally whacked him in the head. He stared at her, unsure of what to do.

He had never seen her like this, so distressed and afraid.

"Nurse!" He yelled above Deryn's panicked shouts and curses. "Nurse! _Nurse, please help_!"

A few seconds later a nurse flung the door open. She quickly sized up the situation, before silently rushing from the room.

Before she could return, Count Volger and Dr. Barlow hurried into the room, having heard Deryn's shouts and Alek's calls for help. They could only stare, both of them shocked and dumbfounded at the scene before them.

Brave, fearless, swaggering Deryn Sharp was so frightened and frenzied that she was close to thrashing right off the bed. Or, God forbid, re-injuring herself!

"Bloody hell! I can't bloody see! _Da!_ " She cried out, making Alek's heart twist in his chest with sorrow.

She must have been truly terrified to call out for her father, forgetting that he was dead.

" _Da, help me!_ " Deryn screamed, tears starting to fall from her unseeing eyes. " _I can't bloody see!_ "

She didn't seem to feel the pain in her body from her frantic movements on the bed; or perhaps, she was feeling it. Maybe it was only adding to her panic and the whole situation, not knowing what was happening to her. Alek couldn't tell which was the case.

He looked back at Dr. Barlow and Count Volger despairingly, not knowing what to do. Dr. Barlow's gloved hand was covering her mouth and tears fell from her eyes. It is the first time Alek has ever seen the Lady Boffin cry!

Volger was watching Deryn, his brow creased in concern and uncertainty. He caught Alek looking at him and their eyes locked. The Count gave him a pitying look.

A few seconds later, several nurses rushed into the room.

Alek watched as they subdued the screaming, cursing girl, which seemed to make her even more agitated.

When one of the nurses suddenly stuck Deryn with a needle, she screamed once more for her father. A sob broke in Alek's throat as he watched, feeling helpless to do anything for her.

A moment later, her panicked cries faded pitifully and she was silent. Her face relaxed as the medicine took effect.

Bovril whimpered, shivering with fear around Alek's neck. The beastie had watched the entire event with wide, terrified eyes. "Can't bloody see." The beastie whispered into Alek's ear.

As the nurses filed out of the room, one of them looked at Alek and said softly, compassionately, "Her reaction is quite normal, especially after the trauma she has endured. Be patient. She will be alright."

Alek nodded slowly as he stared at Deryn, too exhausted and dazed to hold back the tears still making their way lazily down his cheeks.

Alek could only wonder if Deryn really would be alright.

* * *

 **Note: I hope the story was enjoyable!**

 **I was inspired by and tried to incorporate several TV/Movie story-line ideas into this chapter.**

 **1\. Canadian TV show "Heartland" (2007-present) titled "Darkness and Light" (Season 7, Episode 10), in which Amy Fleming gets hit in the head and loses her sight.**

 **2\. The 1970's TV Show "Little House on the Prairie" titled "I'll Be Waving as You Drive Away" (Season: 4 Episode: 21), when Mary Ingalls wakes up blind and panics, calling out for her father to help her.**

 **3\. The movie "The Notebook" (2004), when Noah sobs as he helplessly watches the nurses sedate his panic-stricken wife.**

 **All credit goes to the amazing Scott Westerfeld!**


	4. Chapter 4

" **mandaao"- Thank you for your kind review and I'm so glad you are enjoying the story! I hope you enjoy this chapter too! :)**

" **Ezqueza"- Thank you for your kind review! I too am so happy to see people enjoying the "Leviathan" book series and fandom! I hope to see more stories from you soon, also! :)**

* * *

Something was wrong. Deryn knew something was terribly wrong, but she couldn't make her mind focus enough to try and determine what that something was.

She drifted through weird dreams about different times in her life, seemingly so real, she wasn't sure they were dreams.

She dreamt of the first time she had been forced to wear a corset with her dress, her mother and the aunties exclaiming loudly how adorable she looked in the awful flowery-print dress; all the while inside, she felt trapped and barking uncomfortable.

The dream switched to the first time her Da had taken her up in his hot-air balloon, her first taste of freedom and breaking free of the expectations on her.

Suddenly she was dreaming of the horrifying day that always haunted her dreams, when her Da had lit the burner to inflate the balloon and the kerosene tank exploded; the balloon quickly lifting from the ground and her Da throwing her from the basket, giving his own life to save hers.

The dream switched again, to the day she joined the British Air Service and looked down to see her brother's beaming face as he watched her soar through the air and prove that she, Deryn Sharp, A.K.A. Dylan Sharp, did have a squick of "air sense."

No matter where her dreams led her though, they always ended up at the same place, with the same person. She kept seeing Alek's face as he declared his love for her, choosing her over his claim to the throne of Austria-Hungary.

Deryn was abruptly pulled from her dreams when she felt a cool sensation on her forehead, a hand perhaps. She struggled to make her mind focus and slowly opened her eyes.

Blackness.

Her eyes _were_ open, weren't they?

She blinked her eyes hard and opened them again. Still, the same blackness.

Then she remembered. That was what she hadn't been able to figure out—why couldn't she see?

She felt extremely weak and disoriented, but much calmer from the last time she had been awake. She vaguely recalled being in a panic—even briefly forgetting that her father was dead, yet calling out for him—then a bunch of people held her down and stuck her with a needle. She didn't fancy that happening again.

She was also suddenly aware of the massive amount of pain in her body. She was, quite literally, hurting from her head to her toes. Each breath she took felt like someone had used her ribs as a punching bag and her head felt like it was in a vice. However, her left knee was the most painful, as though a huge hive of bees were inside the leg and stinging her.

"Alek?" She croaked, barely above a whisper. Her throat was very dry and it made talking difficult. She licked her parched lips and tried to swallow, but it was difficult.

"Deryn, it's alright. I'm here." She heard Alek say. "Here, I have a glass of water for you." She felt a strong hand slip under her neck, supporting her head as it lifted from the pillow.

Deryn felt the blessedly cool water touch her lips and trickle down her throat, making her shiver as it hit her stomach. Unfortunately, it felt like just as much water dribbled down the sides of her face and neck, which felt strange and slightly unnerving when she couldn't see what was going on.

"Sorry. It would seem that I am not very good at this." She heard Alek say as he lowered her head back onto the pillow, then felt a towel gently rub against her skin.

"Aye. Barking awful." Deryn breathed.

"Barking awful." Repeated a familiar voice and then made a chuckling sound.

She realized there was a small warm bundle next to her hip. She tried to move her right arm, attempting to reach out to pet the beastie, but it seemed to be strapped to her chest. Pain shot through her arm and chest and she winced, deciding it was better to stay still. Bovril made a soft, sad sound and she felt it gently rub against her, as though trying to comfort her.

"The doctor prescribed medication for your pain. I put some in the water you drank." Alek said, "You should feel some relief in a few minutes."

"Barking Spiders." Deryn mumbled. "What happened to me?"

She heard the scrape of chair legs and assumed that Alek had pulled a chair close to sit down. She felt him gently take her left hand.

"Do you...do you remember anything? I mean, do you remember what happened?" He asked hesitantly.

Deryn tried to think, but that simple action made her head hurt more. "No. My head hurts too blistering much to think."

"It happened two days ago. After work, we raced to that old tree in Regent's park." Alek began.

"Aye, our favorite. The top gives us a perfect view of the London sky." She interjected, smiling slightly. She didn't add that when she was up there, she felt like she was flying again.

"Yes." He said and she felt his thumb gently rub the back of her hand. "We were climbing to the top to watch the sunset." As he talked, the memories came back, flooding Deryn's mind. "You were ahead of me and...and a branch broke."

Her breathing and heart-rate increased, as did the pain in her ribs. She remembered hearing the snap of wood and Alek shout her name, the terrifying feeling of grasping at thin-air, the searing pain of smacking into branches and then, nothing.

"So that's why I hurt all over, and why I can't see." Deryn said, more to herself than to him.

"Yes." Alek said softly.

A moment later he added, "You fell right in front of me, but I couldn't reach you. Deryn, I am so, so sorry." His voice sounded shaky, as though he might cry.

Deryn sighed. She should have known that Alek would take the blame onto himself. She shifted her head toward him, feeling a bit irritated that she couldn't see him, or look into the green eyes she loved so much.

Deryn gripped his hand tighter, ignoring the pain in her body.

"Now you listen to me, you daft prince." She said, summoning Mr. Rigby's stern and commanding tone of voice. "This is _not_ your fault. It's my own barking fault for not paying enough attention to what I was grabbing." She struggled to keep her voice strong, since her energy level was suddenly fading; however, there was more she needed to say.

"I want you to promise me something, Alek."

"Anything, Deryn!"

"Promise me that you will _stop_ thinking and saying that this is your fault."

There was a long pause, then she felt his lips press to the back of her hand, sending a shiver up her spine. She felt herself start to drift between reality and a strange dream world. "I promise, _liebe_."

Suddenly, Deryn was exhausted and her hand went limp within his. She heard him stand quickly.

"Deryn? Are you alright?" He asked, worry in his voice.

"Aye." Deryn mumbled. "Just...barking tired."

Just before surrendering to sleep, she thought she felt Alek's soft, warm lips touch hers in a gentle kiss.

* * *

Alek stayed bent over Deryn for a moment, watching her face and body relax as she slipped into a peaceful sleep. Bovril looked at Deryn and seemed to sigh with contentment. After a moment, it curled into a ball and joined her in sleep.

Alek sat down in the chair and let out a deep sigh of relief. His thumb unconsciously stroked the back of her hand. It was such a consolation to him that Deryn had woken in a more normal state of mind, instead of the panicked one from hours before.

He, Dr. Barlow and Bovril had all been very worried about her, since they had never seen Deryn in such hysterics, so terrified. Even Count Volger had been worried, although he tried to deny it.

After that, Alek and Bovril had refused to leave her side for more than a few minutes at a time.

Dr. Williams had come in after the incident to check on Deryn. He had assured them that she was fine, that waking up in a frenzied state after a trauma was not unheard of, especially when blindness was thrown into the mix.

It was also comforting to know that Deryn did not blame him for the accident, as he had blamed himself.

Both she and Count Volger were right. There really hadn't been anything that he could have done to stop or change what happened, apart from not climbing the tree at all. But Deryn was a free spirit and loved to be in the air. Many times, the top of a tall tree was as close to the sky as she could get.

He would never want to change her. He loved her for who she was.

"Good morning, Mr. Hohenburg." Dr. Barlow said from the doorway. Alek turned in his chair, thinking that he must have been wrapped up in his thoughts, because he had not even heard her come in.

"Good morning, madam." He responded as he stood and faced the Lady Boffin.

As always, she was impeccably dressed, whereas Alek must have looked awful, what with not really having slept or eaten very much in the past two days. He assumed that his clothes were rumpled and his hair a mess; completing his disheveled appearance would likely be his puffy, red eyes.

"How is our patient this morning?" She asked, her eyes fixed on Deryn as she moved toward the bed.

"She was awake a few minutes ago and I gave her some water with the medication Dr. Williams prescribed." Alek said.

"Very good. The next time she is awake it would be wise to try and feed her something. Perhaps some broth to begin with." Dr. Barlow commented, her eyes fixed on Deryn's contused face.

Alek nodded, thinking this was a good idea. Deryn needed to keep up her strength in order to heal.

"I will have the nurse keep some hot broth on hand so she can have some at any time." The woman stated, more to herself than anyone else.

"Yes, that is a good idea since she wasn't able to stay awake for very long. She seemed much calmer, though, even managing to chastise me for blaming myself for what happened." This statement caused the Lady Boffin to give him a gentle smile.

"However," Alek glanced at Deryn's sleeping form before continuing, "It seems that she still cannot see."

The woman nodded slowly. "I spoke with Dr. Williams earlier and he assured me that blindness after a head injury is actually quite common. It really depends on what part of her head that she hit, and how hard, which determines the possible permanency of the condition. That, combined with plenty of time and rest."

Shocked, Alek stared at Dr. Barlow, his mind racing. "Are you...are you saying that this could be," He swallowed hard, "Permanent?"

Dr. Barlow looked at Alek despairingly and shook her head. "I do not know, Alek."

There was a long pause, then she turned back to Deryn. "Only time will tell."

Alek stared at Deryn for a moment, but then set his jaw, turning to look at the Lady Boffin.

"Deryn will fight this. She will see again." He said with conviction.

Dr. Barlow gave him a gentle smile. "I believe she will too, Alek." She placed a hand on his shoulder and then walked to the door.

Before she exited the room, however, she seemed to remember something and turned back to him.

"I felt it necessary to contact someone from her family. It so happens that the _Minotaur_ , the airbeast that her brother is serving on, is docking to resupply. Her brother, Jaspert Sharp, will be here in a few hours." And with that she walked out the door.

Alek's eyes grew as this new information sunk in. He had never met anyone from Deryn's family. They had been planning a trip to her home in Glasgow in the next few months, but now it would have to be put on hold, indefinitely.

For a while now, Deryn had been regaling him with stories of her home, family and friends, various Scottish customs, what it was like growing up in Glasgow, and so on. In some ways, he felt like he knew many of her family members already.

On the other hand, meeting one of them now, especially under these circumstances, might prove to be awkward at the very least.

Alek sat back down in the chair, slowly letting out the breath he hadn't known he was holding. There was no use in worrying about meeting Deryn's brother. Whatever was going to happen would happen and fretting over it would not do anyone any good.

All he could do was wait and see what fate would bring their way.

* * *

A little while later, Volger and Alek were in Deryn's room, talking—or rather arguing—quietly so as not to disturb her sleep. Count Volger was once again trying to convince the ex-Archduke to go back to his flat to get some rest, but Alek was adamantly resisting, wanting to be close to Deryn in case she needed anything.

The Count was visibly frustrated with him, but they had come to a compromise. A cot would be brought in for Alek's use, at least until Deryn did not need constant monitoring.

Suddenly there was a ruckus down the hallway. An unfamiliar, male voice was boldly requesting to be taken to Deryn Sharp. Alek and Volger looked at each other and then toward the door, hearing Dr. Barlow in the mixture of voices.

Alek was thankful that he and the Count would be blocking the man's view of Deryn when he walked into the room. He assumed it would be enough of a shock for the man to see his sister lying injured in bed, without it being the first thing he saw.

A moment later Dr. Barlow escorted a uniformed British airman into the room. He was quite tall, with similar facial features to Deryn's, but sported darker blond hair and hazel colored eyes. Alek knew, even before they were introduced, that this man was indeed Jaspert Sharp.

As he walked into the room the man's face turned hard and unreadable, every inch a soldier.

"Excuse me ma'am, but why is there a bloody Clanker in my sister's room?" Jaspert's Scottish lilt held an icy tone, his eyes immediately noticing Count Volger's Austrian Cavalry uniform (Alek frequently thought it was very audacious for the man to be walking around a Darwinist hospital in such a getup).

Alek held back a reply, knowing that it would be best to let the Lady Boffin make introductions.

"Jaspert Sharp, may I introduce Mr. Aleksandar von Hohenburg and Wildcount Ernst Volger. Mr. Hohenburg, Count Volger, this is Jaspert Sharp, Miss Sharp's elder brother."

They both gave polite bows to the fierce-looking man before them. Jaspert nodded curtly to them, but his eyes spoke loudly that he did not trust either one of them.

Alek chose to remain silent and ignore this. The war between the Darwinist and Clanker powers was technically still ongoing, so he could appreciate Jaspert's wariness.

Dr. Barlow started talking again and Jaspert glared at them once more before turning his attention to what she was saying. "Aleksandar was the one who ran for help after Miss Sharp's accident."

Jaspert never took his eyes from Alek as he moved closer to Deryn's bed. The stare-down made Alek feel nervous, but years of fencing lessons and princely training helped him to stay visibly calm and collected.

Standing next to the bed, only a couple of feet from Alek, Jaspert's eyes lowered to look at his sister for the first time. His eyes widened and his jaw went slack, his face suddenly void of color.

Jaspert took in the darkening bruises covering much of her exposed skin, the sling holding her splinted right arm to her chest, and the wraps and bandages on various parts of her body. His eyes finally landed on the large splint and barnacle compress engulfing the majority of her left leg.

Alek knew what a shock it had been for himself, seeing Deryn for the first time after her accident and surgery. He could imagine it would be a greater shock for Jaspert, since he had no warning or knowledge of Deryn's accident or condition.

"What the bloody hell happened to her?" Jaspert breathed.

Before anyone could utter a word, Jaspert suddenly grabbed the lapels of Alek's jacket and thrust him hard against the wall, pinning him to it! The room felt unsteady for a moment and Alek realized that the back of his head had banged against the wall, rather forcefully.

However, Jaspert didn't seem to notice or care.

" _What the bloody hell did you do to my sister, Clanker_!?" Jaspert shouted in Alek's face, looking ready to beat him to a pulp. " _I know you bloody-well had something to do with this_! _Tell me what you did_!" His eyes were wild, a furious expression on his face.

Alek stammered unintelligibly for a moment, but before he could get any coherent words out, he heard a familiar sound—the singing of metal.

Jaspert suddenly tensed, his head held uncomfortably high.

Count Volger's face was deadly calm as he held his saber to Jaspert's throat.

"Let the boy go." He demanded slowly, his deep voice edged with steel. "Now."

"That is _enough_ gentlemen!" Dr. Barlow said forcefully, her voice echoing in the small room. "Count Volger, kindly sheath your sword! Mr. Sharp, please unhand Mr. Hohenburg!"

Out of the corner of his eye, Alek could see Bovril's fur stand on end and he gave a low growl.

Count Volger gave Jaspert a long, withering look. Finally he returned the sword to its scabbard, but never took his eyes from the man still holding Alek firmly against the wall.

Alek had forgotten that the Count never went anywhere without his sword at his side. He was thankful that the man had it today, if for no other reason than it kept Jaspert from pummeling him.

"Mr. Sharp, I understand that this has all been quite a shock for you, but please do calm yourself. We will certainly explain everything." Dr. Barlow said firmly and then added, "However, you should know that if Mr. Hohenburg had not acted so quickly in getting help, Miss Sharp may have been in worse shape than she is."

Jaspert stared at the Lady Boffin for a moment, still keeping Alek pinned to the wall. He turned to glare darkly at Alek, whose face was likely betraying his shock of being so roughly manhandled, his feet barely touching the floor.

"I can assure you, what happened to her was a complete accident and was in no way Aleksandar's or anyone else's fault." The woman said calmly.

Jaspert slowly released his grip on Alek and stepped back.

Alek rubbed the painful spot on the back of his head, then straitened his jacket, Jasper's icy stare lingering on him the entire time.

Jaspert finally turned to Dr. Barlow, evidently ready to hear her explanation, but the man still looked ready to thrash Alek if he made one wrong move.

Bovril jumped to the floor and scaled Alek to perch on his shoulder—the loris' adorable face scowled at Jaspert.

"Miss Sharp and Mr. Hohenburg were climbing a tree after work the other day, something that it seems they do quite frequently." Dr. Barlow began. "Unfortunately, a tree branch broke causing her to fall from fairly high up. Mr. Hohenburg tried to catch her, but sadly was too far away to be successful."

Jaspert gave Alek an unfriendly look, which he interpreted to mean _of course you were, you bloody Clanker_.

Either Dr. Barlow didn't see the look or chose to ignore it, as she continued with her explanation. "On the way down she hit several large tree limbs before ultimately hitting the ground. The worst damage was to her left leg, but the surgery went well and the doctor believes it will heal well enough."

Jaspert took a moment to let this information sink in. "As long as this Clanker didn't directly cause my sister's injuries..." He looked pointedly at Alek, "I apologize for my outburst, ma'am." However, he didn't sound sorry in the least.

Alek thought it worthwhile to try and make peace with Deryn's older sibling. "I am terribly sorry about what happened to your sister, Mr. Sharp." Alek said solemnly, his eyes locking with Jaspert's.

"I understand that you do not know me and have no reason to believe me, but I love your sister and would never dream of hurting her in any way. " He saw the man's shocked expression at his words.

Before anything else could be said, there was a soft rustling noise from the bed.

"Alek?" Deryn whispered hoarsely.

Without even glancing in Jaspert's direction, Alek swiftly moved to Deryn's bedside.

"I'm here, _liebe_." He said softly.

"Alek, my leg. It hurts like blazes." She said in a pained whisper.

He poured some water into a glass and added the powder Dr. Williams had prescribed.

"Here. Drink this." He slipped a hand under her neck, supporting her head as he helped her drink.

After he had laid her back onto the pillow, returning the glass to the bedside table, he took her hand and she held it tightly.

"Alek, was I dreaming or did I hear Jaspert's voice a moment ago?" Deryn mumbled, sounding like she was fighting sleep.

"You didn't dream it Der. I'm right here." Jaspert said, moving closer. Alek let go of her hand, taking a step back to give him access to his sister.

"Jaspert, you barking ninny. You didn't need to come all this way just to check on me." She said weakly.

Jaspert knelt beside the bed, his face level with hers; however, her eyes stared blankly at the wall behind him. Jaspert seemed puzzled by this and looked behind him at the spot she was "looking" at, but saw only a plain white wall. When he turned back to her, his face showed his concern.

"Deryn, why aren't you looking at me?" Jaspert asked.

Deryn took a shuddering breath and closed her eyes tightly against the tears that were gathering in them.

Dr. Barlow spoke quietly. "Unfortunately, in the fall, it seems that her vision was also affected."

Jaspert stared at the Lady Boffin incredulously for a moment, then waved a hand before Deryn's face. He looked sorrowfully at his sister when she didn't react.

Suddenly Bovril piped up, repeating part of an earlier conversation. "What the bloody hell did you do to my sister, Clanker?"

Deryn looked confused for a moment, but then seemed to understand what the perspicacious loris meant. She tilted her head in Jaspert's direction, her face showing determination and a hint of irritation.

"Jaspert, I know you're mad at Alek, but don't be." Deryn said boldly. "This wasn't his fault. It's mine. I wasn't paying attention."

Jaspert shook his head, about to argue with her, but she continued before he could speak.

"And if I find out you've been too tough on him, I'll bloody-well kick your arse." She said with a small smile.

Alek could see out the corner of his vision that Count Volger was not really enjoying this conversation. He knew that the man found it distasteful that a woman enjoyed swearing like a sailor, but Alek always found it amusing.

He was also grateful to see Deryn smiling. He had seen so few of her smiles since the accident.

Jaspert smiled back at her and pretended to chuck her on the chin. "I'd love to see you try."

He paused before adding, "Is it true, what he says, Der? Does that bloody Clanker love you?"

Deryn's smile probably would have told Jaspert all he needed to know, but she still said, "Aye. 'Tis true. And I love him."

Jaspert nodded his head slightly. "Fair enough."

He gave Alek a stern–almost glaring–look as he said, "Just want to make sure I don't need to kick _his_ arse all the way back to Clanker-land."

"Blisters! You better not, you sod." Deryn said with a small smile.

Deryn's face suddenly turned serious. "Jaspert, one more thing. Don't tell Ma about my accident. She'll drag me back to Glasgow and this time it'll be for good."

Jaspert thought for a moment and then nodded, although a bit reluctantly. "Alright. If she asks about you I'll tell her you're doing fine. But you better get well so I'm not bloody lying to her."

Deryn smiled a bit and nodded, giving a relieved sigh, but looked exhausted.

"Aye. Thank you, Jaspert." She whispered.

Dr. Barlow stepped forward saying, "Perhaps we should have the rest of our conversation in the waiting room, gentlemen. Miss Sharp needs her rest."

Alek saw what the woman was evidently noticing. Deryn was fading quickly, her face already beginning to relax into sleep.

Jaspert stood and smoothed the hair from his sister's forehead. After a moment's hesitation, he moved from the bed and the four of them left the room.

* * *

A few hours later, Alek lay on the cot that the Count had arranged for him. His mind, however, was far from sleep as he thought of the previous day's events.

This was not the way that Alek thought he would be meeting a member of Deryn's family, but all things considered, he thought it had gone well enough.

Jaspert, of course, had wanted to know why his sister was under the employment of the Zoological Society of London and not aboard an airship. After all, the last time he had seen Deryn was at the proving grounds as a new recruit, soaring through a thunderstorm while strapped to an irritated Huxley Ascender.

The Lady Boffin recounted to Jaspert the tale of how Alek had allied with herself and Deryn after the _Leviathan's_ crash in the Alps and all the adventures that followed. The man seemed slightly taken aback when he realized with whom he was speaking—the former Prince of Hohenburg, Royal heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne.

Alek inserted certain details when he thought it necessary and, luckily, Count Volger was able to produce various newspaper articles that confirmed much of what they had told Jaspert.

After a great deal of conversation, Jaspert Sharp left to return to his military duty looking a bit less wary of Alek.

After going to see Deryn one last time, Jaspert had asked Dr. Barlow to keep him informed on his sister's recovery. He had seemed hesitant to leave, but unfortunately was unable to stay as his airship would be leaving the port soon.

As they shook hands, Alek promised Jaspert that he would take good care of Deryn. The firm handshake and hard look that Jaspert gave him said, _You'd better, you bloody Clanker, and Heaven help you if you don't_.

Alek brought his mind out of his reverie. He decided that sleeping was pointless and that perhaps a walk and some fresh air would do him good.

He walked over to the bed and looked down on Deryn, who seemed to be sleeping soundly. Bovril looked up at him from his place beside her. He patted the loris' head and told it to stay in case Deryn woke while he was gone.

"I'll be back in a few minutes, _liebe_." He whispered as he bent to kiss her forehead. When she didn't stir, he walked from the room.

He headed for the front entrance and had to squint as the sunlight hit his face. It was dawn and the brilliant-orange sun was directly in line with the horizon, breaking through buildings and trees to torment his eyes until they adjusted.

Alek found himself wandering along paths, in no particular direction. Several minutes passed and without him realizing it, he was suddenly standing beneath the very tree that had caused the whole predicament Deryn was in.

Alek looked down at the ground and his eyes found the place where she had landed. There was actually a very shallow indention in the earth where she had hit the ground. His stomach twisted as he remembered the accident, but he quickly pushed the painful memories away.

He tilted his head back and looked toward the sky, briefly forgetting just how massive the tree was. It towered above all the rest and looked to be at least the size of a three story building.

Deryn loved climbing this tree because of its height, the wonderful vantage point and the feeling of flying; but, they both loved it, mostly because it was _their_ place. It was a place where they could talk about anything, dream of the future or reminisce about the past, share secrets. It was their place to be completely who they were without fear of any judgmental or disapproving eyes.

And now all Alek saw was the immense pain it had brought upon Deryn. And there was not a thing he could do to fix it.

For a few minutes he stood at the base of the tree, fighting back the emotions that threatened to overwhelm him.

Suddenly the thought came to him: perhaps he _was_ doing something to fix it.

He had been with her through this entire mishap. He had been there to comfort and help her, to let her know she wasn't going through this alone.

Determination filled Alek as he turned on his heel to head back. He would continue to be there for her, to help Deryn through this.

Whatever it took.

* * *

 **Note: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!**

 **All credit goes to the amazing Scott Westerfeld!**


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